On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 00:46:40 -0500, notbob wrote:


> So anyway, I did the big fried chicken thing this weekend and tonight.
> The whole nine yards. Cut up a whole fryer, marinated in buttermilk,
> fried in my big ol' No. 10 Wagner, yada yada.

> As I said, it tastes great. But, mine is not that picture perfect
> chicken you see on the drain rack and serving plate on that website.

Good is what counts.

I see no difference in oil used.. crisco, canola,
peanut or corn oil. Lard is a great flavor enhancer but we never use it
anymore. Deep oil is important as is control of the temperature. Be sure
the chicken and the dredge are COLD and the oil is HOT.

Soak cut up chicken in iced salt water at least an hour.
Dip in COLD butter milk.
Dredge in COLD flour seasoned as you like it. (I keep the dredge in the
freezer between batches.) The more you use the dredge the better it gets
...the small clumps in the flour make for a nicer crust.
Slit the drumsticks so that they are done before they burn.
Don't over handle the chicken while frying.
The first pieces will not be as brown as those that follow. If you really
brown the first pieces they will be overcooked.

Fry ~ 350 and don't over load the batches..that of course cools the oil.
If you do a lot of chicken, know when to start over with fresh oil and as
you fry remove the settled dredge from the oil if it is accumulating and
reserve it for the gravy.